Tool for enhanced accuracy in double-sided incremental forming

Abstract

A tool for use during double sided incremental forming of a workpiece. The tool includes a sleeve with a hollow interior space. A contact member is positioned within the hollow interior space of the sleeve. The contact member is sized with a working tip positioned outward beyond the sleeve to contact against a workpiece. A mount is positioned on the opposing end of the sleeve and configured to connect to a tool holder. The tool is configured to provide for translational and/or rotational movement of the contact member. The axial and rotational movement provides for the working tip to remain in contact with the workpiece during the forming process.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool for double sided incremental forming of a workpiece, the tool comprising:
 a sleeve comprising a first end and a second end and with a hollow interior space that extends into the sleeve from the first end, the sleeve further comprising slots on opposing sides; 
 a mount positioned at the second end of the sleeve; 
 a spring positioned within hollow interior space of the sleeve; 
 a contact member with a working tip and an opposing end, the opposing end of the contact member positioned within the interior space of the sleeve and with the working tip positioned outward beyond the sleeve to contact against the workpiece, the contact member biased outward away from the sleeve by the spring, the working tip having a rounded shape and extending outward beyond the sleeve such that just the working tip contacts against the workpiece during the double sided incremental forming of the workpiece; 
 a pin that is connected to and that extends across the contact member, the pin further extending through the slots in the sleeve to maintain the contact member within the sleeve; 
 bearing members that act on the contact member and provide for rotational and translational movement of the contact member relative to the mount. 
 
     
     
       2. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing members comprise a translational bearing mounted to the sleeve and having an opening through which the contact member extends, the translational bearing comprising a plurality of rollers that contact against the contact member and provide for the translational movement of the contact member relative to the sleeve. 
     
     
       3. The tool of  claim 2 , wherein the bearing members comprise a ball bearing operatively connected to the sleeve to provide for rotation of the sleeve relative to the mount. 
     
     
       4. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the mount, the sleeve, the spring, and the contact member are coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the tool. 
     
     
       5. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the working tip of the contact member comprises a spherical shape. 
     
     
       6. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein one of the bearing members is fixedly mounted within the interior space of the sleeve and remains fixed relative to the sleeve during the translational movement of the contact member within the sleeve. 
     
     
       7. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the pin is configured to move with the contact member relative to the sleeve during the translational movement of the contact member and to prevent the contact member from moving out of the interior space of the sleeve. 
     
     
       8. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the contact member comprises a unitary one-piece construction. 
     
     
       9. A tool for double sided incremental forming of a workpiece, the tool comprising:
 a sleeve with a hollow interior space; 
 a mount connected to the sleeve; 
 a contact member positioned in the interior space of the sleeve, the contact member comprising an elongated body that includes a working end with a rounded shape configured to contact against the workpiece; 
 a spring positioned within hollow interior space of the sleeve to bias the contact member in a direction outward from the interior space to maintain the working end of the contact member in contact with the workpiece; 
 a pin that is connected to and that extends outward from the contact member, the pin extends through the sleeve and outward beyond the sleeve to maintain the contact member within the sleeve as the contact member is biased outward from the interior space; 
 a first bearing member operatively connected to the contact member that provides translational movement of the contact member relative to the mount; and 
 a second bearing member operatively connected to the contact member that provides rotational movement of the contact member relative to the mount; 
 the contact member extending outward beyond a remainder of the tool such that just the working end contacts against the workpiece during the double sided incremental forming of the workpiece. 
 
     
     
       10. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the first bearing member is mounted to the sleeve and positioned to contact against the contact member. 
     
     
       11. The tool of  claim 10 , wherein the first bearing member comprises a cylindrical shape that is coaxially aligned with the sleeve, the first bearing member further comprises a plurality of rollers that extend outward from an inner surface of the first bearing member and contact against the contact member. 
     
     
       12. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein both of the first bearing member and the second bearing member are positioned within the mount. 
     
     
       13. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the mount comprises a shaft configured to be engaged by a tool holder, the mount further comprises a base that extends from the shaft and that supports the second bearing member with the shaft comprising a smaller width than the base. 
     
     
       14. The tool of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 slots that extend along an axial section of the sleeve; and 
 the pin extends through the contact member and through the slots, the pin sized to slide along the slots during the translational movement of the contact member along the sleeve and to prevent the contact member from moving out of the interior space of the sleeve. 
 
     
     
       15. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve comprises a first end that is open and in communication with the hollow interior space, the sleeve further comprises an opposing second end that is closed and with the spring positioned in the hollow interior space at the closed second end. 
     
     
       16. The tool of  claim 9 , wherein the spring is a coil spring with a helical shape that extends around an opposing end of the contact member that is positioned within the interior space. 
     
     
       17. A method of using a tool during double sided incremental forming of a workpiece, the method comprising:
 locating the tool on a first side of the workpiece with the tool having a sleeve that extends around a contact member and with a working tip of the contact member located outward beyond the sleeve; 
 biasing the working tip of the contact member of the tool against a first side of the workpiece while the tool is mounted in a first tool holder and with just the working tip of the tool contacting against the workpiece during the double sided incremental forming; 
 contacting a pin that extends outward from the contact member through slots in the sleeve and contacting the pin against edges of the slots and maintaining the contact member within the sleeve while biasing the working tip against the first side of the workpiece; 
 positioning a second tip of a second tool against an opposing second side of the workpiece while the second tool is mounted in a second tool holder; 
 concurrently moving the first tool holder and the second tool holder relative to the workpiece with the second tip and the working tip remaining directly aligned while contacting the opposing sides of the workpiece; and 
 moving the body of the contact member through a cylindrical bearing member and translating and rotating the body and the working tip together and relative to a remainder of the tool while moving the working tip in unison with the second tip and while preventing the remainder of the tool from contacting the workpiece. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising biasing the working tip relative to the remainder of the tool and maintaining the working tip in contact against the first side of the workpiece, the working tip biased outward away from the first tool holder. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising translating the contact member along a sleeve that extends around the contact member while moving the working tip along the first side of the workpiece. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising rotating the contact member relative to the sleeve while moving the working tip along the first side of the workpiece.